


Smoke and Dreams

by Whisper132



Series: The Parabola Continuum [6]
Category: Tennis no Oujisama | Prince of Tennis
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-02-21
Updated: 2009-02-21
Packaged: 2017-10-23 14:45:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 386
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/251491
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Whisper132/pseuds/Whisper132





	Smoke and Dreams

  
Osamu barely slept anymore. It wasn't that his futon wasn't nicely fluffed (Gin did that every weekend), or that he wasn't getting the right nutrients (again, Gin took care of that), or that he wasn't tired (it was exam time and he actually had to work). No, what kept him awake was the thought that, when he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep, he would see things. Beautiful things. Horrible things. Horrible, beautiful things that wouldn't do him any good because he was a responsible person (or trying very hard to be) and that kind of wonderful, evil thing had to wait for a few more years.

Oh god, a few more _years._ He was going to shrivel up and die.

Instead of sleeping, Osamu upped his cigarette count. Gin wouldn't approve, but Gin wasn't there and couldn't say anything about it so it was fine. Osamu only felt a tiny bit guilty. Every morning, clad in his sleeping pants, a sweatshirt, and his balcony slippers, Osamu stood outside and smoked while watching the sun come up. It was relaxing, and a tiny part of him rejoiced that the sun's arrival marked one more day closer to being more like a normal man in a normal relationship that wouldn't get him tossed in the slammer if someone found out.

After that thought, Osamu always needed a second cigarette. His weirdass relationship was going to kill him before the carcinogens did.

He pretended not to notice the front door opening. Gin was probably trying to act stealthy and wasn't bright enough to figure out that a guy his size coming up the stairs wasn't a noise anyone could ignore. It was like a kid's taiko practice on fast forward. Gin was pretty sensitive about his size, though, so Osamu never said anything or suggested that Gin might try not stomping his full weight down with every step.

Advanced warning was also good.

Exhaling a lung full of bliss, Osamu ignored the slow sliding of the screen door. He closed his eyes to the sun and made believe that the warmth pressing against his back was eighteen and…a button from Gin's school uniform pressed into his shoulder as Gin twisted and a hand crept where hands weren't allowed.

Osamu crushed his cigarette on the railing.


End file.
